Part 1: It Comes to This
Dear Diary, after the tornado, I called 911. Firemen, police officers, and ambulances came within minutes. Bram was still on his knees, his shoulders and head bent forward, still smelling like something had burned even though I didn’t see any burns on his skin or clothing.
At the hospital, they said lightning must have struck near him to cause the smell and static shock I’d felt when I tried to touch him. I knew the truth, though. He commanded the windstorm that killed his father.
While I held no special grief for Otto’s demise, it did leave a gruesome image in my head. They were probably still picking up parts of him from that field. In the back of my mind, I wondered how they would identify him other than the fact we said it was him.
The wounds on Jarah’s neck were mostly superficial. Only one wound required stitches. Because of his mental state, they admitted him to the psychiatric unit.
Over the next few days, it was difficult to see Bram. I stayed in the hospital for Jarah’s sake and realized people were following me. I know that sounds crazy, but I’m kind of getting used to crazy.
Anyway, The Inheritance has descended upon us. They swarm around Bram like he’s the next big thing, they follow me, and they even have people on Jarah’s unit.
Finally, I was allowed to see Bram. He had the poshest hospital room I’d ever seen. It’s like when they found out he was a Seaforth, they brought in the good stuff or something.
As I faced him for the first time, my heart sped up, and my throat went dry. I had weak knees, too, and it wasn’t because I was in love, let me tell you. Every ounce of my being told me to flee as fast and as far as I could from him, and the people watching us.
“Are we alone?” Bram asked when he sensed I was near.
“As far as I can tell, unless they bugged the room.”
He tried to smile, to reassure me, but instead, his mouth turned into a thin line, the corners barely moving upward at all.
“Are you okay?”
I took a deep breath to steady myself. “Yeah, except I’m in crazy town right now. What is happening? Why are all of these people around?”
Now, he had a full on frown. “Kara, I need you to be careful. These people are from the main branch of The Inheritance and they mean business.”
“Let me guess, they named you the new head of this branch?” I was half-joking, half-fearing I might be right.
“What they’re doing is shutting down this branch for good,” he said, his voice somber. “Otto corrupted it completely. No one from any other branch would ever trust this branch again. He stole money, important artifacts from the Sprague Collection, prized relics-“
“-He hired a hitman to kill my great-aunt Rosetta, the Leader of the Free World,” I interrupted.
“That, too. Otto worked on the team under the leadership of Xalen Sprague. Before he died, Xalen sent a formal report to the head branch of The Inheritance which outlined an investigation he intended to do on Otto. Xalen wanted him out. Before he was given the okay to begin investigating, he died.”
A gasp escaped my dry as dirt throat. “Did he kill Xalen, too?”
Bram’s shoulders lifted slightly, and he gripped the arms of the chair. “It’s unknown. The Inheritance team I spoke with believe Xalen died of natural causes. He was very old when it happened. Otto became the head of the branch, but he would have been next because Rosetta Sprague was assassinated before she could take her place.”
“If Xalen was interested in investigating Otto, why did the main branch allow him to take the head of the company and The Inheritance?”
“I asked them, but they’re not really into answering questions. They’re better at asking them.”
“We’re talking about my family. I want answers!”
“And, you deserve them. But you need to stay out of this now.”
“Stay out of it?” I demanded, my voice going up an octave.
While my voice rose, his went down, almost to a whisper.
“Kara, I need to know… Did you tell anyone you knew The Inheritance was here? Did you speak to anyone about it, or talk to any of the team?”
“You mean the people who’ve been following me to the point I didn’t feel it was safe to even call my mother?”
His face drained of color. “You need to answer my question. Please.”
“No. I did not speak to any of them, I’m too terrified. And, I’m not stupid enough to run around telling people what The Inheritance is or that they’re here.”
He let out a sigh, wiping his palms on his robe. “Okay, good.”
“I’m scared, Bram. I’m scared of them… and you.”
His expression and voice were grim. “Good. You need to take my brother and run. I’m not kidding. I spoke to one of Otto’s attorneys, and arranged an account for you. He’s got money, I.D.’s, everything the two of you need to disappear.”
I swallowed hard, nearly choking. “Disappear? Now wait a minute-“
“-This is no joke. These people mean business. They’ve agreed to let you and Jarah go if I will work with them. They want to find out what all I can do, and how it works.”
“D-did you know? Did you know you could do that?”
He shook his head. “No. It just happened. I don’t know how except I could feel myself snapping when I knew he was hurting Jarah.” He paused for a moment, his face still gray, his lips pressed together. “They agreed to leave you and Jarah alone, but for how long? I can’t trust them. You and Jarah need to go now, while you still can.”
Part 2: The Ruin on Wicker Street
There were no parting kisses with Bram before I left. No teary good-byes. I knew what he said about The Inheritance was true. If they thought either of us was of use to them, they’d be hot on our tail despite what they promised Bram.
I loved Bram still, but I was frightened of him. No, terrified is a better word. I’d never seen a tornado under anyone’s control before… I mean, who has? And, was he really in control? I was thinking not.
What if I was with Bram, he snapped, and I was his next victim? As much as he hated him, I don’t think he meant to kill Otto. What if he accidentally killed someone else? It was better to follow my instincts and get out of there.
They released Jarah from the hospital with a ton of medications I wasn’t sure he needed. After what happened, I didn’t figure it was my place to continue on my path of psychiatry. It seemed to me, I only made things worse.
No, when we were finally settled, we would stick to ourselves, but I would make sure Jarah had all the help he needed, whatever that entailed.
“We’re here, Ms. Shea,” the realtor said as we pulled up to the curb of a house on Wicker Street. “Ms. Shea?”
My heart skipped a beat when I realized she was speaking to me. I’d been lost in thought and forgotten my new name already. “Call me Mia.”
“Of course,” she said. “As you can see, it’s a very private setting. “That’s a crushed pebble path there that leads around the trees to the house which is situated on the back of the property.”
“And the ocean?”
“You can see the beach and ocean from the back of the property. There are beautiful views from the house.” Before we got out of the car, her eyes met mine, and I saw concern. “I’m not sure you understand, though, how run down this place is. Some walls are crumbling.”
“You said the main part of the house is fine, though.”
“Well, yes, you’ll just have to see it.”
As we walked the path, the trees began to give way, and I could see two towers, and a chimney. So far, it looked all right, just old.
It was colder here than I was used to for this time of year, and rainy, too. I pulled my sweater closed and buttoned it as we continued our journey.
The realtor chatted about the acreage, the plants, and shrubs, then showed me a beautiful pond. I could imagine Jarah fishing here, and I hoped that would help him get better.
Inside was a bit dreary and needed a good cleaning. There was a wood-burning stove, and an old refrigerator that the realtor said still worked “like a dream.”
“The floors need refinishing, of course,” she prattled on, “and the walls painted, maybe. I hear the power goes out a lot around here, especially when it storms, but there’s a generator. Oh, and there’s an attic on the third floor with a lot of furniture that was left behind years and years ago. If you bought the property, that would belong to you as well. I’m not sure it’s usable, it’s been up there for years. But, it might be fun to go through. You might even find some valuable antiques, who knows? Could you see yourself here?”
I’d looked about the parts of the house that were livable, but I already knew what my answer would be.
You should have seen her face when I said, “I’ll take it, and I’ll pay cash.”
Part 3: A Different Defect
Moving in was easier than I thought it would be. Jarah (his new name was John Shea, and he was my “brother”) wasn’t much for talking still, but he did everything I asked without question.
We washed walls and floors, painted the kitchen white, and lugged furniture from the attic. Some of it just needed to be cleaned, while other pieces needed some major TLC. I bought some fabric from the village and made curtains.
Jarah chose one of the ends of the second floor for his space. I told him he could take the entire floor, as my bedroom was on the ground floor. Still, he pushed four large bookcases to one end, sectioning off his new room.
There was already a desk, and chair there, which was nice. I promised him I’d get him a computer, but had to explain he wouldn’t get a very good signal here. He seemed thoroughly disappointed by that, and I was truly sorry.
I found a rusty iron bed frame, and Jarah cleaned it up, and painted it. The only fabric I could find that was even close to being masculine looked like it belonged in a kid’s room. This didn’t seem to discourage him in the least, though. He made his bed every day and claimed he liked the bedspread I made for him.
One end of the second floor, the opposite end to Jarah’s room, had a balcony that overlooked the small garden we started. My hope is that I won’t have to run to the village very often for supplies. I want us to stay to ourselves as much as we can.
Jarah’s end of the second floor overlooks the beach and ocean down below. I’ve promised him he can spend time there without a chaperone as long as he keeps to himself.
Who am I kidding? Of course, he will keep to himself.
Not long after we moved in, and we got into a routine, he started opening up more. When he spoke to me, though, he didn’t like looking at my face. I hoped with some therapy, he’d find the ability to have conversations with me like he once used to.
“What is on your mind?” I asked him.
He hesitated for a long time, but I’d already grown accustomed to waiting him out.
“At the hospital, I heard them talking. About me, and Bram.”
“Who did you hear?”
“Those people from The Inheritance.”
“Oh! What did they say?”
“They were talking about Otto, and Bram mostly. About how Otto had written pages and pages over the years even before I was born… He- he wanted to breed the perfect child. He always said Sloan, Bram, and I were defective. But, him saying that didn’t mean what I thought.”
“What did you think he meant?”
“You know… that I couldn’t be in The Inheritance because I’m… I’m mental. Bram couldn’t because he was blind, and Sloan couldn’t because she wasn’t enough like Otto, or she was a girl or something stupid like that.”
“I see. I think Bram thought along the same lines as you.”
Jarah’s nod was slight. “Yeah. I was wrong, though. I heard them talking about how he was trying to make a kid that had extreme psychic ability, or any ability at all The Inheritance would deem worthy. Everyone on the team is hand selected because of something extraordinary. He believed all three of us were defective because we weren’t some kind of freaks.”
My back bristled when I heard him say that. Not just because of the sadness, and anger I still held for Otto with the way he treated his children, but because, to some extent, I felt a little like a freak.
I’d always been able to sense things from touching objects or people. Sometimes, what I felt was frightening, other times not. I was also able to find lost things like the time I found my little brother Joey in a blizzard after he’d run away and gotten lost.
It wasn’t until I went to university that I found out most people weren’t able to do what I was. Instead of feeling special, I felt like, well, a freak. Now, I knew this gift I had might help us stay hidden, and safe.
I wanted to hug Jarah, but I knew he wouldn’t let me. We had a lot of work to do, him and I.
Part 3: Oh No!
Notes
Thank you, Bee (Stories by Bee, Poses by Bee), for making the lovely Adult – Bad News I’m Pregnant pose pack! I couldn’t wait to use them when I saw them!
Thank you so much for reading, liking, lurking, and commenting! I appreciate you so much.
That house looks awful, to be honest. I’d imagine there are rats and various kinds of bugs living in there. And hopefully, it’s not haunted, LOL. I feel like Kara could feel it if it was.
So… I think Otto was somewhat into eugenics, seeing how when we learned from his perspective, he always wanted a wife that was perfect and now a child that would have powers. I guess he had to have some kind of a talent, too, seeing how he got into The Inheritance? Maybe he was hoping to find a gifted woman so that their DNA combined would create a gifted child. Just a thought.
I wish Kara the best of luck with her pregnancy! Not gonna be easy, as the conditions and circumstances are less than ideal (the house, though!)
Thank you, Jowita. Isn’t that house awful? LOL I feel the same way about it.
You are correct about Otto and eugenics. I never specifically said that, but you are right about it. He wanted to create the perfect, gifted child.
Poor Kara, pregnant and living in that awful house. lol
I cannot believe Otto turned the Inheritance as a criminal erugenist mafia organisation :s he wasted all this charm. Uh Kara is pregnant oh oh oh !! New troubles in the future.
Thank you. 🙂 Otto corrupted the great organization Xalen ran; it’s such a shame. Yes! The next generation is on the way.
I am very deceived because the Inheritance goall was not about making mess it was for helping people with paranormal , I hope the Inheritance will be cleaned someday.
Yes, I feel the same way. In the near future, you will find out what has become of The Inheritance, and if they are again on the right path.
I cannot wait to read that.
I’m so glad. 😀
I can see why Kara is a little scared of Bram. He’s not in control of his powers, and with that, plus the way he’s been acting towards her, I’m glad they aren’t together right now. Not everyone works out.
Very interesting to see the true reason why Otto thought his kids were failures. He’s a sick man still, but this explanation makes a lot of sense. I wonder how it would have turned out if Bram’s powers had shown when he was younger.
I imagine you seeing that pose pack come out and thinking, “Kara’s pregnant now!” LOL
Thank you, Heather. I’m glad you can see why Kara might be scared of Bram. You’re right that he’s not in control, and no one knows how powerful he even is.
Otto is definitely a sick man, but I’m glad the explanation makes sense. I think things would have been very different if he’d known about Bram’s powers. With the way he ran The Inheritance, perhaps it’s better he never knew.
Yes!! I needed to put that pose pack to use. LOL
I was wondering if Kara was going to find someone new for the heir… Looks like she won’t have to now. Yikes. There’s a lot on her plate with Jarah there too… And if the Inheritence ever heard that she has his child then they’ll certainly be interested… The organisation certainly seems a lot darker and more terrifying than it has in the past.
Thank you. You’re right about the heir. If this baby is the heir. I really don’t know right now as I’ve wandered really far off my generation outline. lol I need to revamp it ASAP. I totally agree with what you said about The Inheritance finding out she’s having Bram’s child. Who knows what would happen then. It’s true that The Inheritance is not what it once was.
Good one. I suppose part 3 is an image? since i read it backward, I know what the ‘oh no’ is all about.
Thank you, Jina. 🙂 Yes, part 3 are the images without text where she finds out her pregnancy test is positive. So, you were right on with knowing what the “oh no” was. lol
Hey look, I got a reply! It’s showing on my reader, yay!
YAY!! I’m so glad to hear it. I think things went back to how they should be once I got rid of the plugin that let people leave links of their sites. I hope they update the plugin sometime soon so it will work right. 🙂
Oh dear, this is not turning out well. I can only hope Kara and Jarah can hide out long enough to stay safe. The Inheritance is not looking good right now. Hopefully Bram will learn to keep his powers under control and use them on his own will – now wouldn’t that be handy!
Aiyaya, now is not a good time to be pregnant…. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to seeing the nooboo 🙂
Thank you so much, Raymond. I hope Kara and Jarah are able to stay safe, too. You’re right about The Inheritance. I think Xalen would be rolling in his grave about now.
Wouldn’t that be great if Bram learned to control his powers? 😀
You got that right! I can’t wait to see the nooboo, too. 🙂
OMG, what a turn things have taken!
First off, Bram has unleashed something very, very dangerous and has no idea how to control it. Once something like his has been tapped into, its easier to access, even if you don’t want to. This power was needed in the situation they were in, but it’s extremely untamed magic. It took a toll on Bram, and when magic is uncontrolled this way, the caster as well as the victim can suffer serious damage, if not death. Bram needs to find a way to learn how to harness this power for his own sake as well as those he cares about.
I hate seeing what The Inheritance has become. 🙁 Xalen wanted it to do so much good, but now, the people in it resort to strong-arm tactics, intimidation, and threats. 🙁 It would break Xalen’s heart knowing what it now is.
Poor Jarah! He was doing so well but has taken a few steps backward. 🙁 I really do hope he will get better and remain so. He has so much to offer, but it’s hard when something like this throws you off kilter.
I wondered when Kara was going to end up preggers. Being on the run and pregnant isn’t going to be easy. And when/if Bram finds out, things could get even more strained. I like him, but he needs to grow up a lot before he can have any hope of partaking in a healthy relationship. Kara is strong and will get through, but I expect she’ll have some things to work through, too.
Thank you, Sharon ❤ You couldn’t be more right about Bram. Hopefully, The Inheritance is not on a mission to destroy him, but instead, they will help him learn how to control it.
I can totally understand why you hate what The Inheritance has become. Xalen is probably rolling in his grave right about now.
I’m wondering how well Jarah can get. I suppose we’ll find out as the story continues.
Yep, she’s in a family way and on the run. Not cool. I imagine at some point, Bram might find out, but she’s probably in the clear right now. I reckon we’ll see about that. I think you’re right about him needing to grow up some before he should be in a relationship.
Oh!! I hadn’t even thought of the possibility that Kara would be pregnant – at least Bram’s gorgeous genes will not go to waste, lol! Buuut I’m sure Kara can’t think like that right now… I really hope they’ll end up loving each other again though, I haven’t lost all hope! 😭💔
Even though the Inheritance sounds mighty scary 😨 so I’m not sure how realistic I am hoping for them to be reunited…
Aaand I’m all caught up!! 😄 This was awesome!! <3 <3
LOL about Bram’s gorgeous genes. I can’t wait to see this kid, let me tell you. 😀 Wouldn’t it be nice if they made it back to each other? We’ll see. 😀
I’m so glad you enjoyed getting caught up. Thanks for coming by. ❤❤
Wow! Good thing he didn’t know he had that ability, so I’m sure it’s scary for him too. However, the fact that he can be unforgiving and harsh (like his dad?) with those abilities is enough to put anyone on guard. Jarah may have some latent abilities as well, only time will tell, Will their child have abilities as well? This is getting sci-fi-ish.
Thank you, Jo. Oh, yes, I think he’s in shock still even though he’s trying to pull it together so he can help Kara and Jarah out of Dodge. lol Yes! I’m so glad you said that about being unforgiving and harsh. It is similar to his father; which he probably would not like to admit.
This is definitely getting sci-fi-ish. Hopefully, I’m not too far out of my depth. haha 😀
I always have to think for a while, how to write what I want to express because I’m not very confident in my English writing.
You know that already. 😉
I was impressed and also shocked by what Bram is capable of and I understand why the two had to separate, at least for a while.
Not that I feel any pity for Otto, this sick brain. 😆
But I like Bram and I’m more worried about him actually as for Kara and Jarah.
It may be because of the pictures him sitting or in the dressing gown,
but he urges Kara to get away with Jarah and insists on attracting the attention of Inheritance to himself.
As a contrast, he looks almost small and vulnerable in the armchair.
The organization seems to be a long way from what it was in Xalen’s time.
Hopefully he will become able to control his abilities.
Slightly scary places to live are probably Kara’s specialty since childhood, but I like the house
and I like Bridgewood a lot. 😊
And the next “little problem” is right around the corner.
As always looking forward to the next chapter.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Your English is beautiful. ❤
I’m glad you understand why Bram is doing this. I think once the dust settles a bit, Kara will feel bad that he sort of sacrificed himself.
Otto definitely had a sick brain. I don’t find myself feeling any sympathy for him.
I think you’re right that Bram is vulnerable right now. He’s facing the unknown just as much, if not more, than Kara is.
You’re right about The Inheritance not being anything like what Xalen knew. I think he’d be upset by everything that’s happened.
This is my first time playing Bridgewood, but I’m liking it very much, too. I love how this lot was right by the beach. 🙂
Wow. A lot. Bram is indeed special but I fear he is putting his life on the line for Kara and Jarah. He would do that. But Kara knows now that she is also special. And that me just what helps them, so she may embrace it. And she pregnant! I wasn’t expecting that twist! Dang!
Thank you, Audrey. I think after Kara has some time to pull herself together, she might feel bad about Bram, and what he may be going through. Let’s hope she embraces her abilities, and figures out a way to make this all work. lol Oh, yes, nooboo on the way!
OHHH MY nooboo time!! <3
Thank you, Lisa. You know it! 😀 ❤
I am excited <3
Thank you! Me, too. ❤
I’m probably in the minority but I hope it’s another girl!
LOL I haven’t looked to see. I want it to be a surprise. 😀 ❤
Ohhhh fun
Oh man! I hope Kara doesn’t hide it like her own mother did. Be careful Kara!
Thank you, Hillary. That’s good advice for Kara! Let’s hope she doesn’t follow in Bea’s footsteps.
I feel so sorry for Bram. He just discovers he can do something so terrifying and instead of getting the time to really process it all, hr has to deal with The Inheritance idiots.
And Kara is scared of him… which I kind of understand, but it still sucks.
But it does make me happy that not all is lost 😉
Thank you, Violincat. I’m glad you said that about Bram. I feel sorry for him, too, really. If Kara thinks she’s scared of him, imagine how he feels about it.
Yeah, that does suck.
All is not lost, that’s true. 🙂
DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNN …. and the saga continues on its spiral … That will be interesting considering all involved have their own burdens.
Thank you ❤ You can say that again! haha
You know…I’m kinda glad she and Bram are over. At least for now, I guess. I’m glad she went with her gut and left. They were cute together, but I never felt like they were end game. Good luck, Bram!
I knew she’d end up pregnant after they broke up LOL.
This branch of The Inheritance sounds kind of gangsta LOL. Like, so unlike The Inheritance we know from the side story. People following her? Fake IDs and accounts? Yeah, no wonder they’re shutting them down lol.
Thank you, Jess. I’m glad you said that about Bram. I think he was what she needed when she was the shy teen. And he needed her, too. But, I’m glad she followed her instincts this time. Maybe she has learned she should do that. lol
Yep, nooboo on the way.
LOL Oh, yeah, the main branch isn’t fooling around. haha 😀
They’re on some FBI stuff! LOL
LOL! 😀 😀
I’m so curious to know which world you actually chose in the end! Looks like a perfect spot! Thank you for using my poses, they looked perfect the way you depicted them.
Amazing how all the bad stuff comes pouring out after someone dies! Karma is a ………………. You get what you give Otto and oh boy did you get it good!
Kara is one strong, capable woman. I’m not sure if I could have faced Bram after that myself, but we see her strength as she carries on without him in her life. Jarah will keep her going when otherwise, she may have just broken down and hermitted. My only hope is that one day she finds peace.
Thank you, Bee. I ended up in Bridgewood which is supposed to be a seaside town in California. But honestly, with the house I placed, I’m getting more of an Irish feel.
Your poses were just in time! 😀
You know that’s right re: Karma. For sure!
I think Kara had to see him one last time despite how afraid she is of him. This is going to be difficult for her, but I think because of how Jem had her living before, she will be okay. I like what you said about Jarah; you’re so right.
Oh, geez! Those last pics!
So I would think that with her own psychic powers, Kara might feel more connected to Bram, rather than less.
That house is so cool! On the beach!
Thank you, CT. You have a good point about Kara. I wonder if she’ll feel that way once the dust has settled, and she has time to process everything that happened.
I’m glad you like the house! 😀 I love that it’s on the beach.
Oooooh girl! I was wondering if Kara would be bringing a little piece of Bram with her into hiding. 😉 Guess I was right!
Their future together is kind of unsure, though. 😐 Especially after their break and now she’s understandably freaked about his power. I hope they’ll find their way back to each other, but I’m not sure at all.
Oh and now you KNOW Otto is on my permanent shit list. He may not have killed my darling Xalen, but he wanted to and that’s enough to resurrect his nasty butt and kill him again as far as I’m concerned!!!! 😤
This was great as always, Kym. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Thank you, Louise. Now you know! lol You were right. 😀
I’ll be honest and say I don’t know if that’s going to happen; them finding their way back to each other. I’m so far off my original outline for this generation, it’s crazy. LOL I am making a new one! 😀
Yes! I knew Otto would end up there because of his messing with Xalen. Let’s kill him again! (insert maniacal laughter)